Altvater: ‘Almost heaven’ golf destinations in West Virginia

West Virginia may be one of the most overlooked golf destinations in the U.S, but it won’t be for long.

Fred Altvater

Nestled among the Appalachian Mountains are several championship golf courses that provide majestic views, as well as, meticulously maintained facilities.

Stonewall Resort, The Resort at Glade Springs, Pipestem Golf Resort and of course, The Greenbrier all offer stay and play packages that will fit every golfer’s budget.

The Pete Dye Course was designed by the famous golf course architect and is one of his best efforts. The club hosted a Web.com Tour event from 2004-2009.

Dye has a reputation for creating difficult golf courses, but has allowed generous fairways and challenging, but fair green complexes at the Pete Dye Club.

The course was built on an abandoned strip mine and golfers even travel through one of the old mine shafts when driving between No. 6 green and No. 7 tee.

Pete Dye Golf Club. Photo Courtesy West Virginia Tourism Bureau.

The Dye Course is a private club, but guests at the Stonewall Resort are allowed to play this beauty in the West Virginia Mountains.

The Palmer Course at Stonewall Resort opened for play in 2002 and has been a favorite of golfers ever since. It traverses along Stonewall Jackson Lake and sits inside the 18,000 acre Stonewall Jackson State Park.

The lodge is definitely one of the assets of this resort and guests can choose from a myriad of outdoor activities.

Stonewall resort has every amenity a golfer, his significant other and family could possibly desire. Hiking, boating, swimming, biking, canoeing, kayaking and fishing are all activities offered by the resort.

When your round is complete resort guests are invited to take a relaxing boat ride around the lake before retiring to a fabulous dining experience in Stillwaters restaurant.

The Resort at Glade Springs offers three wonderful golf challenges, as well as, first-class accommodations. The Stonehaven uses elevation change to create beautiful vistas as you make your way around the course.

The Cobb Course has been the site of various championship tournaments and has been designated one of the best courses in southern West Virginia.

The Woodhaven was completed in 2010 and offers majestic views of the gorge and mountain terrain. It is the perfect complement to the Cobb and Stonehaven courses.

The resort is conveniently located just south of Beckley, West Virginia, off I-77. For northerners, it provides the perfect stopover for an afternoon round, if you are heading south or on your way back home from a Florida vacation.

The Rotunda Restaurant or Bunkers Sports Grill will satisfy any dining requirement. Be sure to ask about the “Italian Abbondanza.” It is a feast unlike no other.

Greenbrier. Photo Courtesy West Virginia Tourism Bureau

A comfortable overnight stay at the Inn at Glade Springs, or one of their Manor Houses, will leave you refreshed and energized from the hospitality and first-class treatment received from the staff of the Resort at Glade Springs.

The Resort at Glade Springs is also owned by the same Justice family that owns The Greenbrier and packages are available offering play on the Greenbrier golf courses, as well.

Pipestem Resort State Park is part of the West Virginia State Park system and offers a lodge plus various outdoor activities such as, hiking, biking, kayaking and fishing, in addition to golf.

The golf course designer Geoffrey Cornish used the rolling terrain to create picturesque fairways and challenging green complexes to hold the interest of even the most discerning golfer.

There is even a par-3 course that makes the perfect venue for an “emergency-nine” or an afternoon round with your family.

If you are looking for a golfing experience steeped in history with a side order of class and elegance, then The Greenbrier is for you.

The Greenbrier has been one of the premier resorts in America for nearly 100 years. Five years ago it was purchased by West Virginia native James Justice and he has injected new energy and excitement into this historic facility.

The Greenbrier hosted the 1979 Ryder Cup and the 1994 Solheim Cup. Sam Snead was the Professional Emeritus until his death in 2002 and Tom Watson serves in that capacity now. Bubba Watson also calls The Greenbrier home, when he is not bombing 350-yard drives on the PGA Tour.

Six-time major champion Nick Faldo and tennis great Pete Sampras also have homes in The Greenbrier complex.

The Greenbrier, Old White TPC, The Meadows and The Snead Course, in the Greenbrier Sporting Club, will test any golfer and provide a truly enjoyable day on the links.

Various dining options and activities are also available at The Greenbrier. Prime 44 West is a tribute to West Virginia’s Favorite Son, NBA legend, Jerry West. The menu and culinary delights are definitely MVP caliber.

After Mr. Justice took ownership of The Greenbrier, a casino was added to the hotel for guests who seek more action after the sun goes down.

History and first-class service await every visitor to The Greenbrier. A tour through the secret bunker, one of the only secrets our government has ever been able to maintain, will impress even the most discerning traveler.

West Virginia holds a plethora of treasures among its hills and valleys that make it one of the most beautiful states in America. Vermont is always touted as the place to view the fall colors as the trees prepare for winter, but West Virginia can match or exceed anything Vermont has to offer.

Next time you are thinking about a golf or family vacation follow John Denver’s country roads to “Almost Golf Heaven” and visit one of the resorts in the state that loves golfers, West Virginia.

Fred Altvater offers golf tips and videos at www.toledoohiogolflessons.com. Email him at BackNine@toledofree press.com or follow him on Twitter @tolohgolfr.

Altvater: PGA has improved three courses at PGA Village Golf Club

When Ted Bishop began his term as the president of the PGA of America, one of the first items on his agenda was to hire Tom Watson as the Ryder Cup Captain for the U.S. Team.

Fred Altvater

After that minor decision was settled, he next explored ways to restore PGA Village in Port St. Lucie, Fla., as a first-class golf resort destination.

Bishop began his career as a Purdue University graduate in turf management and understands the importance of the care and maintenance of a golf facility.

PGA Village includes two 18-hole championship courses designed by Tom Fazio and a third course designed by Pete Dye. The courses host several tournaments for PGA professionals over the winter months, but also accommodate amateurs wanting to escape the cold.

Bishop asked an old friend Dick Gray to survey the three courses at PGA Village and submit an action plan to improve the quality of the facility. Bishop and Gray had known each other since the early days back in Indiana, when both were just starting their golf careers.

While Bishop became a golf professional and golf course owner, Gray pursued a career in golf maintenance and has been a golf course superintendent for over 30 years.

Gray submitted his report to the PGA brass and soon after was asked to implement his plan to return the courses to world-class condition.

Dick Gray, head greenskeeper at PGA Village. Photo by Fred Altvater

Gray accepted the challenge and for the past year has used every trick in his tool box to improve the three courses.

The Ryder and Wanamaker Courses were both designed by Fazio. Several tee options allow each golfer to choose the appropriate length and difficulty for their ability and enjoyment. Both courses are playable by high-handicappers and scratch golfers alike.

The Dye Course at PGA Village is the gem of the resort and offers the most challenging test. Contouring, mounding and deep bunkers provide the challenge for golfers on this beautiful track. Elevated and undulating greens demand the best efforts from every golfer and three putts are lurking with every pin location.

PGA Village offers a complete golf experience. For those that want to improve their game, the 35-acre state-of-the-art PGA Center for Golf Learning and Performance provides every possible practice area to perfect even the most difficult golf shots.

The PGA Museum of Golf houses the Probst Library with more than 6,000 hard-cover books that document the history of golf and golf instruction. It is also home to the Ryder and the Wanamaker Cups, when they are not required to be exhibited outside the museum.

When golf fans, who are stuck in the snow and cold in the northern United States, see the beautiful sunshine and green golf courses on their televisions, they begin to think of traveling south for a golf getaway.

The PGA has done an excellent job of restoring the PGA Village. It is just a short drive north of the West Palm Beach airport and will please even the most discerning golfer’s demands.